Writer, generally of free stuff online. Sometimes of stuff you can buy. My first novel, The Samurai is out now at Amazon.

Jan 13, 2017

Nintendo Announce the Switch Launch Date and Price

A Switch, or versatile console

At today’s presentation in Tokyo Nintendo revealed the launch date and price for their upcoming movie. The Nintendo Switch is one of the most interesting consoles to hit the markets since the Wii U failed spectacularly in 2012.

The Switch launches internationally on March 3. The TV/Handheld hybrid costs $299.99 in the USA and 29,980 yen in it’s homeland of Japan.

In Australia the console will set you back $469.95. As the exchange rate would suggest a price of $399.95 based on the USA retail price or $349.95 if you’re converting from yen, there has obviously been a generous helping of the Australia consumer electronics tax applied.

Ace Tax is a mysterious creature that sometimes rears it’s ugly head to increase the expected price of hardware and software for Australian consumers. It isn’t a government applied tax but rather seems subject to the whims of capricious fate.

We reached out to Nintendo Australia who confirmed the $469.95 price, adding that they could not be certain that the Australian Tax wouldn’t demand further money before March 3, at which point they would be powerless to do anything other than raise the price.